2026 Compare Cities Economy:
Portage, MI vs Boone, NC

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Highlights
- Household income in Boone, is 64% less than it is in Portage and is 179% below the National Average.
- Portage unemployment rate is 4.7%.
- Boone unemployment rate is 3.4%.
 Portage, MIBoone, NCUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock3.4%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock1.7%1.6%
 Future Job Growth33.3%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes6.0%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock5.3%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$38,978  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$24,756$69,021
 Family Median Income$90,697  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Portage, MIBoone, NCUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock36.0%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K2.3%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock14.5%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K6.9%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock7.4%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K8.6%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock8.9%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K12.0%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock5.2%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K7.8%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock1.3%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Portage, MIBoone, NCUnited States
 Management, business, finance19.0%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock2.9%6.5%
 Community, social services2.4%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.5%1.2%
 Education, library7.1%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock1.5%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology7.9%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock2.0%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.3%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock18.3%5.4%
 Building maintenance2.7%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock6.5%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support18.4%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.1%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair4.5%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock4.9%13.1%
Reviews for Portage    3 Reviews

Over 10 years ago

I'm just writing because I think that the people who are in my opinion bashing Kalamazoo, really don't know anything about it. I have vacationed in much larger cities,  More

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Before I moved to Portage in 2007, I didn't have any real breathing problems. I had a minor case of hay fever. I moved here and I am stuck inside most of the summer  More

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Over 21 years ago

Portage is a nice palce to live and raise a family. I don't think it would be a good place for a single  More

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Reviews for Boone    15 Reviews

Not sure where they got the rents from. Maybe not updated as there is nowhere to rent in Boone. Unless a student and they are paying $1000+ for 1 bedroom/bath shared  More

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Over 12 years ago

Boone and the High Country's climate is unique to North Carolina and the Southeast. It's cool summers and snowy winters are much more comparable to places much farther  More

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The area is beautiful - living in the Blue Ridge Mountains is gorgeous. But .. the views don't pay the bills. Housing is overpriced. You are better off living  More

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